


After The Pub

by HalfASlug



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 22:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10863012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalfASlug/pseuds/HalfASlug
Summary: Hardy accepts Ellie's invitation to the pub.





	After The Pub

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from scotbren: A fixit fic  
> Set after s3e8.

Hardy pulled the duvet from the foot of the bed up and settled underneath it. He stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath and heard someone less than a foot to his left doing the same thing.

It was the only thing that made it seem real.

“Can’t believe we just did that,” Miller panted.

He nodded, wondering if he should start calling her ‘Ellie’ now.

Ellie. _Ellie._ Ellie.

Nah.

“I’ve never seen your room,” she said, sitting up a bit so she could look around. “How come you haven’t decorated in here?”

“I have.”

“Oh.” Her smile faltered. “It’s a decent size. You wouldn’t expect it looking at the house from the outside, really.”

She continued to witter on about inconsequential things as he watched her squirm until she had more of the covers than she could possibly need. He listened, letting the soft cadence of her voice wash over him, soothing any doubts he had.

Ellie had talked his ear off the entire taxi ride home from the pub. And then all the way out of her clothes and into his bed. In fact, she hadn’t really stopped until… well…

He preened. It had been an embarrassingly long time for him, but he definitely still had it.

Fortunately, he knew it meant that she wasn’t bored or thinking of something else the entire time; she was simply as nervous as he was.

Hardy rolled onto his side and gently ran the backs of his fingers down her arm. She stopped talking and smiled up at him.

“I nearly said no. When you asked if I wanted to go for a drink,” he clarified when she looked confused.

She shuffled away so she could look at him properly. “What?”

“Yeah. Was gonna go home.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Hardy’s hand froze. The nerves he was feeling before started growing into something that threatened to choke him. “You saying I should have?”

“No, just…” She sensed his reaction and laced her fingers through his. The contact made his stomach swoop, which was ridiculous considering they were currently naked in bed together. “What changed your mind?”

He did his best to remain passive and shrugged. “Fancied a drink.”

“Right.” Ellie flashed him one of her fake smiles and quickly looked away. She released his hand and returned her gaze to the ceiling.

Hardy kicked himself. Barely ten minutes had gone by and he was on the verge of ruining everything already. It was some kind of record - even for him.

It shouldn’t have terrified as much as it did, opening himself up even the tiniest amount to another person. Especially one he had just slept with. _Especially_ , when that person was Miller, whom he trusted more than anyone.

Still. Old habits died hard.

He closed his eyes and pictured her smile through the dark when he had told her she looked beautiful. He had already taken several blind leaps tonight; one more couldn’t hurt.

“Plus,” he said, rolling over so he could wrap an arm around Miller, “I thought if I had a few drinks I might be able to ask you out and - providing you had a few drinks - you might say yes.”

She smiled so brightly Hardy doubted he would ever feel nervous about anything again.

“So much for that plan,” she said, stroking his forearm. “Shit as ever, Hardy.”

“Hmm,” he hummed in agreement. He leant over her and kissed her, finding her smile was infectious. “I’ll live.”


End file.
